Timeless Hymns. Americana Style. A Vital Cause.

Hymns for Hunger is a "boutique tour" using hundred-year-old hymns to solve a thousand-year-old problem
by raising awareness for global and local hunger at shows across North America.

About

"We live in the world's wealthiest nation. Yet nearly 14.5% of US households - nearly 49 million Americans, including 16.2 million children - struggle to put food on the table."
- Bread for the World

A mutual love of hymns first introduced Nashville singer-songwriters Cindy Morgan and Andrew Greer. But it was hunger that forged a friendship. Having observed the growing unmet needs among their neighbors in their hometowns just outside Nashville’s city limits, the Americana-folk duo decided it was high-time to help. With individual catalogs of critically-acclaimed #1-sellers recognized by dozens of Grammy and Dove nods, the pair looked to their life’s work – music – to motivate the initiative.

And so Hymns for Hungerwas born.

Inaugurated in the fall of 2012, the perennial concert tour helps raise awareness and resources for local and international hunger relief organizations around the world and has been presented in dozens of cities across the nation, including special performances at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Samaritan’s Purse and Amy Grant’s “Tennessee Weekend”. Having raised tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteer man-hours in support of America’s neighbors in need, Cindy and Andrew say the tour is much more than a fundraiser.

“‘Hymns for Hunger’ is a night of music purposed to meet the needs of our neighbors across the world with audiences’ help.”

– Andrew Greer

“We partner each night with a relief organization in the local community to raise awareness, funds and tangible goods—whether filling a food pantry, raising money to repair a homeless shelter or literally feeding the hungry. But more than a fundraiser, we talk about and point audiences to the need in their immediate vicinity, and how they can help.

It has been a perspective changer for us to observe how music can help address the need of our neighbors instantly. We hope this ongoing tour effort is one small part of bringing heaven to earth,” explains Greer.

Internationally, the singer/songwriter duo partner with Food for the Hungry (FH) Nicaragua to help eliminate physical and spiritual poverty through the simple gift of child sponsorship. Having seen firsthand the impact of FH’s initiatives in Nicaragua, Cindy and Andrew give audiences an opportunity each night to partner with FH’s community development projects through child sponsorship. Through sponsor connections made along the Hymns for Hunger tour, hundreds of Nicaragua families are now fighting poverty firsthand.

“Being a part of ‘Hymns for Hunger’ has opened my eyes to how many people are really struggling in today’s economic climate,” Morgan says.

“I think what I have loved the most, is seeing people, unaware of the need before, coming together with such enthusiasm to help others who are struggling. It opens up dialogue on so many issues beyond hunger.”

– Cindy Morgan

“Andrew and I share a love for the music and the history of hymns,” says Morgan. “To look out into the faces of people from ages 6 to 86, meeting on an equal plane to lean back in a creaky pew and sing these songs for awhile, has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever been a part of. To reach out beyond ourselves to the good that can be done by joining hands with fellow sojourners, reminds me of the greater purpose that binds us all together.”

Cindy Morgan

A 2014 Grammy nominee, singer-songwriter Cindy Morgan has garnered 12 GMA Dove Awards, including the prestigious Songwriter of the Year trophy. With 21 #1 hits to her credit, Morgan has penned songs for such artists as India Arie, Mandisa, Francesca Battistelli and American Idol’s Kris Allen, among dozens of others. Morgan’s music has been featured on television shows like “One Tree Hill” and “Pretty Little Liars”. Her latest solo effort, 2011’s critically-acclaimed Hymns & Spirituals: Some Glad Morning, features Americana/folk-inspired arrangements of such beloved selections as “I’ll Fly Away,” “It Is Well” and “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.” For further information, visit cindymorganmusic.com.

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer is a 2013 GMA Dove Award nominee for All Things Bright & Beautiful: Hymns for the Seasons, which held the #1 spot on Nielsen Christian SoundScan’s Instrumental chart for 25 weeks. Last year’s Angel Band: The Christmas Sessions landed in the Top 10 on iTunes’ Singer/Songwriter chart, while his 2012 Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions, reached #2 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases in Contemporary Folk chart. The critically-acclaimed Angel Band recordings collectively feature collaborations with some of the top names in bluegrass, Gospel and Christian music, including Sandi Patty, Sonya Isaacs, Cindy Morgan, The McCrary Sisters, Phil Madeira and Ron Block of Alison Krauss & Union Station. For further information, visit andrew-greer.com.

Cindy Morgan

A 2014 Grammy nominee, singer-songwriter Cindy Morgan has garnered 12 GMA Dove Awards, including the prestigious Songwriter of the Year trophy. With 21 #1 hits to her credit, Morgan has penned songs for such artists as India Arie, Mandisa, Francesca Battistelli and American Idol’s Kris Allen, among dozens of others. Morgan’s music has been featured on television shows like “One Tree Hill” and “Pretty Little Liars”. Her latest solo effort, 2011’s critically-acclaimed Hymns & Spirituals: Some Glad Morning, features Americana/folk-inspired arrangements of such beloved selections as “I’ll Fly Away,” “It Is Well” and “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.” For further information, visit cindymorganmusic.com.

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer is a 2013 GMA Dove Award nominee for All Things Bright & Beautiful: Hymns for the Seasons, which held the #1 spot on Nielsen Christian SoundScan’s Instrumental chart for 25 weeks. Last year’s Angel Band: The Christmas Sessions landed in the Top 10 on iTunes’ Singer/Songwriter chart, while his 2012 Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions, reached #2 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases in Contemporary Folk chart. The critically-acclaimed Angel Band recordings collectively feature collaborations with some of the top names in bluegrass, Gospel and Christian music, including Sandi Patty, Sonya Isaacs, Cindy Morgan, The McCrary Sisters, Phil Madeira and Ron Block of Alison Krauss & Union Station. For further information, visit andrew-greer.com.

Video

Press

Morgan and Greer have audiences on their feet, clapping along to music they describe as, ‘American folk with tinges of bluegrass, country, blues and soul.’ But Hymns for Hunger goes beyond the music. Through faith and a simple act of obedience, the duo isn’t just singing about hope – it’s sharing it with a hungry world in a tangible way, one concert at a time.

– BillyGraham.org

It’s not uncommon for touring musicians to partner with an organization to raise awareness for a global cause. But rather than concert halls and civic centers, Greer and Morgan took their banjo and ukulele to the intimate pews and hymnals of churches around the country – a “boutique” tour in Morgan’s words – using hundred-year-old hymns to solve a thousand-year-old problem – hunger.

– Collegiate Magazine

Spiritually it has been so special to play events that are about serving others, lifting up the broken and being doubly blessed in the process,’ Morgan says. ‘Cindy and I want our music to be more than a decorative shelf piece, something simply aesthetic,’ says Greer. ‘We want our music to have hands and feet – to motivate us and our audiences into action. It’s hard work and a total breath of fresh air.